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Wall of Fame

Just some of the special vehicles we’ve seen here at Absolute Batteries Toowoomba.

Want a closer look? Click on any of the pictures for a bigger view.

Vehicle: VS Commodore.

Use: Dirt Track Speedway.

Specs: Stock V6

Owner: Ben Langton

Ben races this in the Street Stock Sedan class at the speedway and, while a newcomer to the scene, he has posted some impressive places already. As you can see, he gets into some pretty rough racing. If you see him out there, cheer him on!

Vehicle: VK Commodore.

Use: Super Street drag car.

Specs: 355 cu in. Alcohol V8

-3 Dave Bennet Heads.

Owner: Brett Clatworthy

On the way to have rear suspension upgraded for better ET’s.

Vehicle: 2009 Maserati Gran Tourismo

Use: Street car/Fun.

Specs: 4.2 L Ferrari/Maserati F136 U V8 (298 kW; 399 hp)

ZF 6-speed automatic

0–100 km/h: 5.2 seconds.

With a V8 engine from the Ferrari stable, this car has a wonderful exhaust note that warms your heart and makes the hair on the back of your neck stand on end at the same time. What a car.

Vehicle: V8 dirt modified.

Use: Dirt Speedway Racing.

Owner: Scott Conlin

Give the Delkor Speedway car a cheer when you see it out at Charlton Speedway!

Vehicle: Elfin T5 Clubman

Use: Street Car/Track Car/Fun!

Specs: 2.0L 4 Cylinder Turbo.

194kw @ 5300RPM

351nm @ 2500-5300RPM

5-Speed manual transmission.

At only 800 kg’s and 250 hp this little car is an absolute rocket ship. A broad torque band and a low center of gravity combined with it’s light weight ensure a thrilling drive.

Vehicle: 1964 Galaxie 500 Lightweight 427 R-Code (Replica)

Use: Historic drag car/Collectible

Specs Original:

Powered by the famed 427 cu. inch side oiler dual quad high riser, with a factory rating of 425 HP (which in reality was much higher).

4 speed transmission

Specially prepared lightweight body with only approximately 50 made and all were Wimbledon white with red interiors..

Ram air induction under the reverse teardrop hood that characterized the 1964 Ford factory drag cars.

This car could do the quarter mile in 12.07 seconds at 118 mph (188.8 kph).

Specs Laurie’s Replica:

520 cubic inch beast, horse power: God only knows.

3 speed automatic C6 with Lightning Rods.

Not only do you hear the awesome exhaust note that this car produces, but you feel it. This car was built for two purposes, getting down the drag strip quickly and plenty of smiles per gallon.

Autotrader have done a short video on a 1963 model Lightweight Galaxie which is worth a watch if you would like to know how they were modified and what made them so special.

Vehicle: Kawasaki Vulcan 900 custom (We have included a photo of what the bike looked like originally.)

Use: Fun!

Specs: Liquid cooled 900cc 4-stroke V-twin

SOHC, 8 valves

5 speed gearbox with belt final drive

The beautiful thing about custom bikes is that the owner can put their own personal touch on it. Mick has done a nice job on this very cool bike. With its Candy Plasma Blue paint, its lower stance and the big 240 x 18″ rear wheel, this one stands out in the crowd. The new exhaust gives a note that stirs the blood. Nice bike Mick.

Vehicle: 1959 Ford F100 Rat Rod

Use: Preservation of a classic Ford, Rockabilly style.

Specs: 292 Cubic Inch Y-Block V8 engine.

4-Speed Manual Transmission

Battery: Delkor, of course!

This classic F100 is in original paint and still retains it’s original engine. It has however, been lowered a ‘few’ inches and had some smoothie rims added. One very cool low-rider.

A customers 1969 Holden HK Brougham. Car has been in the family since new and is in original condition. The Brougham was basically a HK Premier with an extra 8 inches added to the length in the boot area (but retained the same wheelbase as the Premier). It was powered by a 307 Chevrolet V8. A very scarce car as they only come out in the later half of 1968. Not many were sold as the Brougham faced very stiff competition from Ford’s Fairlane.

Specs: Original Y-Block has been pulled out and replaced with a fresh 351 Cleveland

C4 Automatic transmission.

The big healthy Cleveland starts via custom made starter cables, which we make in house here at Absolute Batteries Toowoomba. Dennis has painted the F100 up as a Texaco delivery. As a tribute to it’s former owner, Romero, who lived in Corona California, the Texaco livery is for a “Romero’s Garage”. That’s cool.

Vehicle: 1935 Ford Pickup. (Model 48)

Use: Workhorse for The Barn, Looking cool, and preservation of a historic Ford.

Specs: (Original)

Engine: The is ledgendary 221 CID (3.6 L) Flathead V8

Gearbox: 48-7005 3-speed Toploader Transmission

Suspension: Transverse leaf spring.

An updated Ford Model 40A, the model 48’s were only available with a V8 rather than the 4 cylinder Model A engine of previous years. Stylish and popular, the Model 48’s in all configuration were updated cosmetically every year until 1937 where they were refreshed as a design. (And totally redesigned in 1941.). You can see this little pickup and many other items of yesteryear at Scotties Garage. You can see more of Scotties Garage and The Barn through this link.

Vehicle: 1971 Ford XY Falcon.

Use: Private Vehicle.

Specs:

Engine: 302 Windsor

Gearbox: C4 3 speed automatic.

You don’t have to be a car enthusiast to have heard of the XY Falcon. Immortalized by the GTHO’s racing around Bathurst, these were the ‘great Australian family car’ with over one hundred and eighteen thousand XY Falcons built between October 1970 and March 1972.

Vehicle: 1966 Ford Fairlane Hardtop GTA 390.

Use: Private Vehicle.

Specs:

Engine: 390 CID (6.4L) FE Big Block rated at 320 BHP

Gearbox: C6 3 speed ‘Cruise-O-Matic’.

In the 1960’s, Ford deemed the Fairlane as a mid-sized car. The Falcon was considered as small-sized and the Galaxie was the full-sized model. The Hardtop (pillar-less 2-door) Fairlane was very popular in the United States, but was not sold here in Australia, making this a unique car in this neck of the woods.

The Dodge M373/4 ton 4×4 truck (G741) was Dodge’s follow-up to their successful WC Series from WWII. Introduced in 1951 it was used extensively by the United States armed forces for over 25 years. As the cold war got colder, NATO and its allies developed missiles capable of delivering nuclear warheads. In 1952 the United States started with the Redstone Rocket Program. With its warhead removed and some modifications, a Redstone rocket put Alan Shepard into space in 1961.

This particular vehicle, which is a XM506 hydrogen peroxide (rocket fuel) servicer built in 1956, has an especially interesting history being involved in the American Redstone Rocket programs in Alabama. Later in its life it was also involved with the SPARTA rocket program (which was a modified Redstone rocket) at the Woomera Test Range here in Australia, which resulted in the first Australian satellite in space. You might have noticed the artwork on the spare wheel cover with a Tazzy Devil riding a Redstone Rocket. It reflects its history with Redstone in the the States and Woomera here in Australia.

This M37 / XM506 has been beautifully restored, by its current owner. The back has been converted into a camper (you wouldn’t know to look at it) and the power plant is now a 350 Chev V8 for reliability as it will be used to tour around our great country. Perfectly functional and in immaculate condition with incredible history behind it, this old beast deserves its place on our wall of fame.

This tiny two seat guided missile is only 860 KG which allows it to go from 0-100 KPH in about six seconds and tops out at a blistering 240 KPH. Not bad for a little 1.8L 4 cylinder engine, but speed is not the only thing to turn heads with it’s slick looks and low profile.

In 1962 Lotus fronted up to the Dutch Grand Prix with the worlds first monocoque race car. Jim Clark campaigned the little Lotus for the rest of the 1962 F1 seas to miss out on the championship by one point. 1963 saw Lotus and Jim Clark win both the Drivers World Championship and Constructors World Championship with maximum points. The Type 25 Elise commemorates the achievements of Jim Clark and the Lotus team from those glory days of racing. With its Lotus Racing Green pain and the two metallic yellow stripes the Type 25 Elise really looks like a car that Jim Clark would drive.

Vehicle: 1928 Chevrolet Delivery

Use: Still in the trade with heaps of experience.

Specs:

Engine: 171 cubic inch (2.8 L) four cylinder OHV 35 HP.

Gearbox: 3 Speed slide gear (crash box) manual.

This Chevrolet series AB National was manufactured by Chevrolet in 1928 to replace the 1927 Series AA Capitol. While it looks very similar to the 1927 AA Capitol, the wheelbase of the AB series was increased by four inches and four wheel braking was provided. Despite using the same engine as the AA Series, the updated look was one of the first projects from GM’s Art & Colour studio. Over three quarters of a million AB series were manufactured assembled, all over globe, in a variety of styles including the one pictured here.

The ’57 Chev would arguably be the most famous and recognisable of all the cars Chevrolet has ever made. It is desired by collectors and hot rodders and has been made famous by movies like American Graffiti (1973), Running On Empty (1982) and Dirty Dancing (1987) just name a few.

The 1957 Chevrolet was powered by several engine options which included the inline six cylinder “Blue Flame” at 235.5 cu in (3,859 cc) and the famous “Small Block” V8. Two capacities in the V8 were on offer in 1957. The 265 cu in (4,340 cc) and 283 cu in (4,640 cc) which were marketed as the “Turbo-Fire” (two barrel carburetor) and the “Super Turbo-Fire” (four barrel carburetor).

Two options of transmission were available to the Chevrolet customer in 1957. The 3 speed manual with column shift and the two speed automatic “Powerglide”. The Powerglide earned a reputation as a simple and strong automatic which has been since developed into a drag racing transmission which can handle engines producing 2000 hp. But the early Powerglides were not without their share of problems.

The Powerglide used a P-N-D-L-R selector sequence (instead of P-R-N-D-L) through 1957, which could cause major problems (and embarrassment) if the driver down shifted into low gear (L) and then accidentally went through to reverse (R). This problem earned the Powerglide the nickname “the Goofy Glide”. Chevrolet fixed this problem in 1958 by changing to the much more user friendly P-R-N-D-L selector sequence.

5 speed gearbox (In a ‘one down and four up’ configuration) with chain final drive.

During the 1970’s and 80’s, Japanese motorcycle manufacturers shook up the motor cycle world which had been dominated by the British and Europeans. During this time Honda, Suzuki and Kawasaki manufactured bikes that were well made and had high performance for a smaller price tag than their contemporaries could offer. The Kawasaki Z 1000 was a force to be reckoned with on the race track, with riders like Wayne Gardner and Eddie Lawson winning races all over the globe. Those of you that grew up in the 70’s and 80’s you might remember ‘Jon’ and ‘Ponch’ riding Kz 1000s on the TV series CHiPS.